Boss of BA in great demand back home

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The Australian-born boss of British Airways, Rod Eddington, might be reluctant to discuss his career plans beyond life at the English airline. But behind the scenes, the 54-year-old is thinking of a future outside the carrier's glass-fronted head office in Harmondsworth, west London.

Having crystallised BA's successful investment in Qantas and re-engineered BA by cutting 20 per cent from its cost base, including slashing almost a quarter of the workforce, it might soon be an opportune time for the one-time Ansett Australia boss to come home.

Already major companies are jockeying for Mr Eddington's non-executive services, even though he has yet to publicly reveal a timetable for his departure.

It is understood BHP Billiton chairman Don Argus has sounded out Mr Eddington, who is already a News Corp director, about joining the resource group's board and at least two other leading companies also want him.

"Let me squash this rumour that I'm about to leave," Mr Eddington said last month. "As many of you know, I've still got a couple of laps in me yet."

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Having spent most of his life in Australia, Mr Eddington has been in the top job at BA since 2000.

With a young family, he firmly refuses to discuss his plans beyond next year.

Last month, London's Telegraph reported Mr Eddington would quit BA by the end of next year for "personal reasons".

Sources say a shortage of "quality directors" means several ASX-listed companies, including BHP Billiton and Southcorp, want to secure his services.

Under Mr Argus's opportunistic plan, Mr Eddington would join him at BHP with a view to taking a leading role in the company's future.

That follows the decision by exiting Wesfarmers boss Michael Chaney to accept the chair of National Australia Bank, replacing Graham Kraehe. That effectively rules Mr Chaney out of the chair at BHP.

While there is no plan for the 66-year-old Mr Argus to leave the BHP chair in the near term, it is believed he is eager to put his own stamp on boardroom succession by bringing Mr Eddington into the fold, then grooming him to take over as chairman.

But Mr Argus might not have a clean run at Mr Eddington as

it is understood he is being courted by at least two other Australian companies. The Oatley family is believed to be eyeing him for the board of wine group Southcorp, also potentially as chairman. In that slot now is Brian Finn but there's a shareholder push to oust him at the annual meeting.

Qantas chair Margaret Jackson, who was told of BA's Qantas sell-down overnight while en route to London, has just been appointed deputy chairwoman of Southcorp.

But it is understood Australia's leading female director has not been promised the top job at Southcorp.